Series of “TELL” Survey Interim Reports Provide Information on
General Trends of Teaching Conditions Across The State Over The Past Two
Years

A
series of three interim “Teaching, Empowering, Leading & Learning
(TELL)” Colorado Survey reports presented to the Colorado State Board
today reveal that educators are more positive about conditions today
than they were in 2009, when an initial TELL Survey was conducted.

Survey results reveal that more than eight out of 10 educators agree
their school is a good place to work and learn. More than nine out of 10
educators agree that their facility is committed to helping every
student learn. Three-quarters of educators agree that students at their
school follow rules of conduct.

These are a few of the findings in three reports based on the second
iteration of the TELL Survey, which drew responses from 30,000
educators--an 11 percent increase in participation since the first
survey, conducted in 2009 (23,000 educators or 36 percent).

Fifty percent or more of faculty in almost 850 schools across the state
provided perceptions of the teaching and learning conditions

in
which they work, including whether they have the kind of supportive
school environments necessary for them to help students learn.

Included in the respondents are the voices of 667 Colorado principals
who responded not only to questions about the teaching conditions in
their school, but also to the supports they receive from their district.

The
three research briefs—“What are the Voices of Colorado’s Teachers
Telling Us?”; “Supporting New Teachers”’ and “Supporting Principals to
Create Positive Teaching and Learning Conditions”—are available at:
http://tellcolorado.org/

The TELL survey was authorized by House
Bill 08-1384, which called for the Colorado Department of Education to
conduct a biennial survey of teaching and learning conditions. The
statute states that “these conditions must be systematically studied and
addressed for Colorado to develop a critical mass of teachers who are
well-prepared to teach and who will remain in the hardest-to-staff
schools long enough to make a significant difference for students and
their families.”

During a
wide-ranging discussion about the survey, members of the state board
asked questions about how the survey was publicized, about the
methodology and results.

Board Member
Marcia Neal asked about the effort to make schools aware of the survey
and Board Member Angelika Schroeder asked if the time of year that the
survey is administered impacts the results.

Board Member Paul
Lundeen asked about the low response rate from Denver Public Schools and
the steps taken to validate the overall state results, among other
issues.

Board Member Jane
Goff asked about the gap in responses between teachers and principals
and Board Member Debora Scheffel urged that the data be benchmarked
“against the things that really matter,” especially student achievement.

Among many findings from the TELL
Survey:

On every question that was asked in both 2009 and 2011, a
greater percentage of educators agree in 2011 that positive
conditions are in place.

Colorado educators report more challenges in the area of time
than in any other condition, but improvements are evident across all
of the questions pertaining to time since 2009.

Important growth was observed in acknowledgement of teacher
expertise. Of teachers polled in 2009, 63 percent felt they were
trusted to make educational decisions. In 2011, that number rose to
76 percent.

Educators in Colorado report that they are very engaged in
communicating with parents, guardians and the community.
Ninety-three percent of teachers said that they provide
parents/guardians with useful information about student learning.

While 93 percent of educators report they work in a school
environment that is safe, less (78 percent) believe that policies
and procedures about student conduct are clearly understood by the
faculty.

Aspects of teacher leadership still need attention. Less than
two-thirds of respondents (64 percent) agree that their faculty has
an effective decision-making process for making group decisions (up
from 52 percent in 2009).

School leadership—including principals, teachers and all others
assuming a leadership role—is viewed more positively than in 2009.
Eighty-four percent of teachers in 2011 say teacher evaluations are
fair, up from 65 percent in 2009. Sixty-eight percent say there is
an atmosphere of trust and mutual respect within their school.

New teachers were generally more positive about most conditions.
They also report a greater need for professional development,
particularly in classroom management and teaching methods.

Induction support is not systemic—one out of every five new
teachers report that they are not assigned a mentor. About four in
10 say mentoring was effective in improving instruction and
classroom management.

Principals in Colorado are very positive about several aspects
of the support they receive from their school district, enabling
them to create positive working conditions in their school. Overall,
nine out of 10 principals agree that their school is a good place to
work and learn. Eighty-five percent of principals who responded
indicate that their immediate plans are to continue as principal at
their current school with 2 percent indicating that their plans are
to serve as a principal in a different school within the same
district.